Bumblebee (2018)

So Bumbleebee.

So there was going to be more films of the BayVerse films but as the world agreed that they had enough of this robot, scrap.

So the 3 other films are cancelled and it was the time that society as cruel as they are.

I mean if the audiecene don't care, then get some new blood for once.

So it announced that a reboot comes in and stop the Transformers to have piece of MCU.

"No! I want two-"

So I guess we are here now, the non-BayVerse era of films which is this and Rise of the Beast.

The new director Travis Knight (the Last Knight shall fall, but the new Knight shall stand) who is the same guy who is the founder of Laika Studios that makes quality stop motion animation ,he also directed Kubo and The Two Strings and he is the lead animator of Coraline.

Now after watching it, I don't get this movie. It just one of the situations that every one, particularly fans would adore this movie but me, I don't buy into it and I'm to explain why.

So without a further-a-do lets get into it:

The good: Before I get into the nitty, gritty I want to say the things I like.

Animation is great: Let's get the obvious out of the way, the animation is fantastic. I like it has a lot of creative moments and that's really because its mostly on Bumblebee because there isn't a lot of Transformers in the human world. This movie design of Bumblebee is my favourite. THIS, is the Bumblebee I pitcure in real life, cute but also kick a$$. I don't mind the BayVerse one but man this is a big step up to it.

Unlike theBayVerse films which sometimes the designs are really awesome but some of them aren't very good. Like Mirage for example is the worst and same with Arcee which tend to go for more human which I get and I don't mind. However it can be a little uncanny at points.

Here, a slighty more faithful and a little realistic of how pitcure is here which is nice.

The problems I had with this movie:

However I don't it's that good what they say it to be.

1. Lack of Motivation: My biggest gripe with this movie is the lack of character goals. Particuarly for the human characters.

Like, what is their struggles? What do they need? What do they want? I think the movie does an poor job of getting to know the characters.

I'm sorry Charlie kinda of an boring protagonist, okay her dad died, so? Does it want to make me want to care? She did get the car but that's about it.

She gets bullied and she is not cool? She more require to the plot and unlike Sam to compare which does have a goal but he's more interesting because the movie shows he's flaws of being a bit bratty and akward.

Here, its mostly just melodrama, sure she says she is ignore by her "parents" because of Otis but the movie barely shows it until the third.

Its all done in a cokkie-cutter, boring teenage drama that you already seen before. It reminds me of the Iron Giant but without any of weight to it.

Also the aprents is always trying to make her smile but I think its done in a serviceable way, they kinda sound mean.

At least for Sam's parents, the movie is aware that they are also too flawed people. Speaking of humans, in the bayVerse films he protrayed them as spiteful, backing stabbing weasels. I like that because I don't know I think its very entertaining to watch a mean character rather than a nice character showingb that humanity is flawed as everything is flawed.

Here, its that they are just there.

Also the Decepticons is also just there, granted do like the designs and voice cast on Shatter and Dropkick.

Shatter, she's prettiest Decepticon-

Audience:"Boo!"

Okay, I'll stop simping over fictional characters for once! So cool design and that's it! Their only goal is to kill Bumblebee and I will say they do have the cunning edge from the BayVerse films but they are the kind of villians who just find them. I also think that the scene where Dropkick tries to kill Bumblebee and just left him there, why!

Why would you do that ,they know to kill he's All-Spark but no kids don't want to see Bumblebee die and we need him for the plot convince.

They mostly stand here looking cool with their two transformation gimmick. They are a half-baked villain with a cool design but not interesting characters with barely no personality. I feel this is what is missing here, compare to thr BayVerse Decepticons.

They caused the plot to happened and without SoundWave and ShockWave there would be no impact to the overall plot-line. I think Bay done in a genuis and subtle way. In that way it makes the plot more interesting and doesn't feel like they are just there, see what I mean.

2. Fan Service: Now there's nothing wrong of homage to a franchise with references and can be done right. But here it start off with a fight scene already, I think the movie want to show to the fans and not really for the audiecenes. This not a good way to start off your movie because if a person don't know anything about Transformers they won't get the movie. It also jumped in and not giving an audience to feel and soaked into it.

The product placement is so obvious like I get this is in the 80s and stop showing us Never Gonna Give You Up song already!

Now the fan service can be done right, Sonic the Hedgehog for example gives us an opening to Sonic's backstory, then introduce to Eggman as the Government needs to get rid of Sonic and become a road film with Dounut Lord as the film develops their relationship.

Or the Mario movie which at start Bowser stole the Star showing he's is going to be a threat and introduce our heroes as the bros want to make an impression of being a plumber but Mario's dad thinks he's nuts of he's responsibility. Then the adventure part begins.

Or even a more related example the first Transformers film does a great job of introducing the Auto-Bots and the Decepticons to the audiecene. By showing that they had been rivals for centuries and showing they are larger then life robots.

See what I mean? These films established before the adventure begins they have something that the audiecene understands but also have something that keeps it original without feeling like a man-child made that up. It's about striking the right balance.

The movie I feel like went too fast, just did that, been here and done that sort of thing.

3. The movie lends too far of being emotional: I get where the movie is coming from this and some certain films do need an emotional core to it to get the audiecene engaged to it.

However feel like the movie crank it up to 11 the point the movie wants to catcha "feeling". It reminds me of Inside Out or Elemental where there is this ending scene where you feel so nice and warm to pull out your heart strings with a nice scene, then all for a sudden you forget about! Sure it gives you an adventure but the impact last short the point where it feels like emotion manipulation.

It does work well because its so obvious it's this emotional core is the whole plot line of the entire movie.

Compare to BayVerse: I know it's maybe unfair to compare a 5 movie to a spin off but I do want to.

I did leave Bumblebee out in the BayVerse films because I want to save for this review.

He's backstory that he was a war crimes against the mustache Germany guy. He later on finds he's own way (well, I think it happens) and ended up meeting with Sam. I like the scene other then the Beetle car gets broken hinting that he's the new and not the old, I also like he is shown that he doesn't care because he's friends head back to CyberTron (I think, I don't know it's a bit convoluted) and abandoned him for years.

I actually like tnat he started to like Sam because he has the key to the All-Spark and starts to act like a pet because he is the only human he can trust, I mean Sam wants to reach for after getting talking by NEST and go as far as saying "don't hurt him." Implies that Sam trust him because Bumblebee is like he's protector and not really using him by any means.

Here, do like the detail that he can't talk after a Decepticons ripped he's voice off but I do wish they do more of showing not telling but the human characters had to tell and not show. Bumblebee is with Charlie but I do get he is attack after the military mistake as an foe but that's about it. Granted its a decent idea and works fine on a writing level but again the backstory what makes it drop for me.

Final Thoughts: So overall, is Bumblebee Cinematic Classic Junk? No, not really.

There is some passion to be found and I do appreciate that Travis Knight do like Transformers and has an understanding to it. It's not afraid of being a Transformers film.

But I hate to say but it's overrated, yeah you mad G1 fans. I need to rage-bait baby!

Anyways, I don't thinks it's bad it's okay I guess and no Bay, (also to mention that he did kindly hand over the movie to the team with their creative direction with is nice of him) hooray, I guess? Bay always has this good dynamic energy that is so memorable and shows us th3 most realistic take on an franchise. I don't get that hate of he's films (except for Age of Extinction and The Last Knight).

It's a movie that understand why die-heart fans would adore this movie ,but for me I would sadly wouldn't go out of my way to watch it again.

So that's everything I got to say!